Your Yard Has Gone To The Dogs

When you have a yard, your dog has a good place to run around and explore. If you plan on letting your dog stay out there for long periods of time when it’s nice out, consider making some changes to it. You can make your yard more dog-friendly with the following ideas.

Shelter and Shade

Your dog will need areas of shade to escape from the sun’s rays when it’s warm out. Having a sheltered area also provides a place for dogs to go if it starts raining. Consider adding a gazebo to your yard, depending on how much space you have. A gazebo is a free-standing structure that your dog can go to for shade or shelter from the rain while he’s playing outside.

If space is limited, you can add an awning or canopy to the exterior of your home. This provides a covered spot for your dog to go for shelter and shade. Keep in mind that there are retractable awnings available if you don’t want an awning open all the time.

Trees and Plants

If you plan on using trees and plants as forms of shelter and shade, be careful about the types you plant. Avoid any plants that are toxic to dogs, especially if your dog spends time outdoors unsupervised. You should also choose trees, bushes and plants that can handle being bumped into while your dog is running around.

Other Options

What happens if you don’t have a yard to make more dog-friendly or if you work all day and can’t let your dog play out there for hours? Doggy Daycare offers a great solution to this problem. You can drop your dog off at doggy daycare for hours of fun and excitement with other dogs. This lets your dog burn off energy during the day when you’re at work while also getting to be social and make new friends.

If you’re thinking of signing your dog up for doggy daycare, contact DoGone Fun. We provide a safe area for dogs to play in with constant supervision.

This article was previously published at https://www.dogonefunchicago.com/dog-daycare/your-yard-has-gone-to-the-dogs/

What happens when you drop your dogs off at daycare?

What happens when you drop your dogs off at daycare? While your dogs get to run around and play with other dogs, they do have some structure to their day. Find out more about what daycare for dogs is like at DoGone Fun.

After Arriving

When you bring your dogs to daycare in the morning, you’ll have a warm greeting from a play lot attendant. You can say goodbye to your dogs for the day, then leave them in the care of the attendant. Our attendant will ensure that they’re kept safe until it’s time to play.

Breakfast and Morning Playtime

If you requested breakfast, this takes place around 8 am. The boarding dogs at our facility also eat their breakfast during this time. When all of the dogs are finished eating, they’re ready to go outside to our play area, where they can spend a few hours playing together. Keep in mind that if you’ve signed up for training, your dogs will have short training sessions a number of times during the day.

Lunch and Afternoon Break

Daycare and boarding dogs have lunch, if requested, at noon each day. When lunch is over with, all of the dogs can spend some time relaxing and taking a break until afternoon playtime starts. This break gives your dogs an opportunity to unwind, which helps prevent them from becoming too stimulated or tired out.

Afternoon Playtime

After taking a break, your dogs will head back out to the play area for afternoon playtime. This gives them more time to play with other dogs and burn off more energy for the day.

Afternoon Baths

If you requested baths, which are available as part of our daycare for dogs services, this happens in the afternoon. After having a bath and any other grooming services you have requested, your dogs will be nice and clean for pickup time.

Dinnertime

If your dogs are staying late and you’ve requested dinner, they’ll eat between 5 and 6 pm. When they’re done eating, they’ll be able to rest until you come by to get them at the end of the day.

What to Expect from Day Care for Dogs

Dropping your pets off at day care for dogs for the first time can make you feel a bit anxious when you don’t know what to expect. When you have a better idea of how your dogs’ day will go, you can feel more at ease about having them spend time away from you. When you bring your pups to DoGone Fun, you can expect them to go through the following routine each day.

Arrival

When you get to DoGone Fun after 7 am, one of our play lot attendants will be there to greet you. Our play lot attendant will make sure that your dogs are comfortable while also giving you a chance to say goodbye to them until later on.

Morning

Some day care dogs have breakfast at 8 am, along with our boarding dogs. Once they’re done with their breakfast, they head out to the play area to burn off some energy until lunchtime.

Afternoon

If your dogs are having lunch with us, they’ll be eating it around noon. That’s also when our boarding dogs have lunch. After lunchtime is done, we provide dogs with a chance to rest and take a nap. This gives them time to relax and build up more energy to burn off while playing in the afternoon. It also gives them a break from noise and excitement, so they won’t become overstimulated.

Evening

If your dogs are staying into the evening, they can have dinner between 5 pm and 6 pm, along with our boarding dogs. After dinner is done, your dogs will be ready for you to pick them up.

Other Services

At DoGone Fun, we offer more than day care for dogs. If you sign your dogs up for training, you can expect them to have several shorter training sessions throughout the day instead of one long class. If you sign your dogs up for grooming, they’ll get a bath in the afternoon, which means they’ll be clean and shiny when you arrive to pick them up and bring them home.

What to Know About Dog Day Care Costs in Chicago

Bringing your dogs to day care means they’ll have a chance to meet other pups and stay busy while you’re at work. When you’re looking into dog day care facilities, it’s important to keep in mind that you shouldn’t just choose the option with the lowest rates. Instead, you should focus on finding a facility that fits your budget while also providing your dogs with a safe and stimulating environment. Keep the following information on dog day care costs in Chicago in mind during your search.

General Rates in Chicago

The average rates in Chicago vary based on the quality of different dog day care facilities and the kinds of amenities they offer. You’ll find that places with higher rates tend to offer a variety of amenities and services that go beyond simple day care, such as obedience training classes and spa services. These places also usually have staff members who are highly skilled and trained, as well as facilities that offer a clean and safe environment for dogs.

DoGone Fun Day Care Costs

When it comes to dog day care costs in Chicago, DoGone Fun offers prices that fit many budgets. While these prices are slightly above the average costs, there are also several perks that are available. These daily indulgences, which are available for an added cost, include a cup of house food, regular or gourmet biscuits at naptime, frozen yogurt treats, a Kong stuffed with goodies for naptime, 15-minute walk outside during day care hours and a freshen-up service with dry shampoo.

At DoGone Fun, introductory rates for day care are $95 for up to 12 hours on three full days, $70 for three half days up to six hours and $40 for a full day up to 12 hours. Long-term costs are also available, such as 10 full days for $370 and 20 full days for $700. Day care between the hours of 7 pm and 10 pm is also available at $5 per hour per dog. For more information on dog day care costs in Chicago, please contact DoGone Fun.

Pros and Cons of Dog Day Care

Having a safe place for your dog to spend time and socialize while you’re gone during the day helps relieve boredom, but is doggy day camp right for you? While there are important advantages associated with dog day care, there are also some disadvantages all dog owners should consider before making this decision. Keep the following pros and cons in mind when you look into dog day care for your pet.

Advantages of Doggy Day Camp

Day care for dogs provides a number of benefits, as long as it offers a high-quality environment and skilled staff members. These benefits include:

• Flexible schedules: Depending on your work schedule, you can sign your dog up for full days of daycare or half days. You can also arrange for evening day care if that works better with your schedule.
• Exercise: Dog day care facilities with play areas give dogs a chance to run around for hours at a time, which provides them with good exercise.
• Supervision: Dog day care facilities have trained staff available to keep an eye on dogs while they’re playing. This helps prevent behavioral problems from occurring, such as aggression.
• Socialization: Dogs have regular opportunities to spend time with other dogs at day care, which helps them stay mentally stimulated.

Disadvantages of Doggy Day Camp

Dog day care facilities are not ideal for some types of dogs. For example, those who are fearful, those who are hyper and those with certain medical conditions might have trouble adjusting to this type of setting. Other disadvantages of doggy day camp include the following:

• Behavioral problems: Existing behavioral issues, such as jumping on people, might get worse when you send your dog to day care. Keep in mind that some facilities do offer one-on-one training for behavioral problems.
• Injuries and illness: Dogs have a higher risk of getting hurt or becoming sick from being around other dogs.
• Too much excitement: Some dogs become overstimulated when they’re in a dog day care setting. Skilled staff can detect when this happens and prevent dogs from getting too excited.

3 Important Benefits of Dog Boarding and Daycare

Whether you need a place for your dog to stay during the day when you’re at work, or someone to care for your pet while you’re traveling, dog boarding and daycare offer great options. Dog boarding provides your pet with a comfortable place to stay and interact with other dogs when you’re away. Dog daycare offers a safe environment for your dog to play with other pups for a few hours a day or several hours per day. Both of these options provide important benefits for dogs.

Close Supervision

When your dog stays overnight at a high quality boarding facility or joins a dog daycare group, you can rest assured that trained staff are keeping an eye on your pet. Boarding facilities that offer play groups and around-the-clock supervision provide close supervision, so you don’t have to worry that no one is making sure your dog is safe while you’re gone. Dog daycare facilities also have trained staff members on hand to ensure that all dogs behave while playing with others.

Physical Activity

Dog boarding and daycare provide dogs with ample opportunity to stay physically active during the day. Just keep in mind that not all boarding facilities offer play groups. When you choose a facility that does offer this, your dog can spend several hours per day interacting with other dogs, which helps burn off excess energy. Getting physical activity is an important part of making sure that dogs are in good condition and lowering their risk of obesity, which is associated with diabetes and other health conditions.

Socialization

Dogs who stay at boarding facilities with play groups and dogs who participate in daycare have a chance to socialize with other dogs. This is an effective way for dogs to work on their social skills while also having fun with other pups. These environments also give dogs a chance to get used to being in different surroundings, which can help them become calmer and less stressed when they’re in new places or situations or when they encounter other dogs or people that they aren’t familiar with.

Avoid These Dog Daycare Red Flags

When you’re choosing a dog daycare for your pet, it’s important to find one that provides a safe environment. Give yourself enough time to search for a place that will take good care of your dog, and keep an eye out for the following red flags.

No Tours Allowed

Being able to see where your dog will be spending the day can give you peace of mind. It also lets you see for yourself whether the facility is a clean one with a secure enclosure that your dog can’t get out of. Reputable facilities won’t have a problem with letting dog owners see the place, and they might even invite you to take a tour without you having to ask. Stay away from dog daycare places that won’t allow you to take a tour.

Aggressive Dogs

If you notice dogs acting aggressively when touring a daycare facility, look for another place instead. Ideally, you should be looking for a place that does temperament assessments before letting dogs participate in playtime. This helps ensure that your dog won’t be injured by an aggressive dog that bites or snaps.

Dirty Environment

Dog daycare facilities should be kept clean on a regular basis to prevent germs from spreading. Messes made by dogs should be picked up as soon as possible rather than left lying around. Water bowls should also be filled with clean water. Avoid places that have dog messes left on the floor and bowls filled with dirty water.

Unfriendly Staff

Staff members who work in dog daycare facilities should be friendly and have the skills needed to make dogs feel at ease. Look for a place with staff members who make you feel comfortable about leaving your dog in their care, and avoid places with staff who seem rude or unprofessional.